REGION
Friday, August 28, 2015
Weather, low prices
hamper PGG turnaround
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not in danger of closing
By ERIC MORTENSON
Capital Press
Pendleton Grain Growers has “been
through a real challenge” in recent
years but is not in danger of going out
of business, the company’s general
manager said.
Rick Jacobson, responding to
community murmurs that bubbled
up following what was a poor wheat
harvest for some growers, said the
co-op is “way ahead of where we were
last year,” when PGG lost nearly $8
million.
The co-op sold or closed several
divisions, laid off employees, reduced
excess inventory, restructured its debts
into a new loan package and obtained a
$20 million line of credit in response to
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in June that PGG was positioned to
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But a lack of moisture and intense
heat early in the season “pinched”
dryland wheat crops for some PGG
growers, resulting in yield reductions
of 25 to 30 percent and protein levels
higher than exporters prefer. Mean-
while, the price dropped and Gavilon,
a grain handling company owned by
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opened a truck transfer station in Union
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for selling wheat.
Jacobson
acknowledged
the
combination has complicated PGG’s
comeback. He is not sure the co-op will
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“It’s not helpful to have an off crop
and it’s not helpful to have another
Eric Mortenson/Capital Press
Extreme heat and a lack of moisture at a critical time reduced yields and
quality for some dryland wheat growers in Eastern Oregon, and hampered
Pendleton Grain Growers’ economic comeback.
grain company in our backyard, but
that’s the life and times of a business,”
Jacobson said.
“We’re not going to fold, that’s not
going to happen,” he said.
Jacobson said the soft white wheat
price is in the range of $5.75 per bushel
this year, compared to $7 last year.
“Most businesses can’t take those
kinds of hits,” he said. “When yields
are off and the price it low, it puts a lot
of pressure on the grower.”
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executive recruited out of retirement in
2012 to stabilize PGG, said the co-op
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been in for a long time. The company
recently signed an agreement with
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wheat marketing for PGG, he said.
An industry insider who spoke on
background said PGG and neighboring
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face increased competition from grain
handlers with deeper pockets and that
are looking to expand their territory.
In tight years, companies that offer
10 cents more per bushel may attract
growers even if those companies don’t
offer other services such as fuel and
fertilizer, the insider said.
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he works with growers and co-ops.
Pendleton Grain Growers “didn’t
attend to business as well as they
should have” in the past but appears to
have made progress, he said.
“I don’t think they’re in danger of
going under, they’re better off now,” he
said.
MILTON-FREEWATER
Strawberry Lake,
Crash sends Weston
campgrounds within
man to Portland hospital
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Smart remained in critical
condition.
State Police Sgt. Mark
A Weston man is in
critical condition after he Banks investigated the
and his motorcycle crashed crash. He said the Toyota’s
driver, Leona Brown, 72,
into a car Monday.
Oregon State Police of the Milton-Freewater
reported Leslie Smart, area, was not driving
48, was riding his Honda impaired.
“She just pulled out
motorcycle
north
on
Highway 11 near milepost LQWR WUDI¿F LQ IURQW RI WKH
33, north of Milton-Free- motorcycle,” Banks said.
He also said he cited
water, at about 4:20 p.m.
when a Toyota Tercel Brown for making a
turned left onto the highway dangerous left turn. She
in front of the motorcycle. suffered only minor inju-
The two vehicles collided, ries in the wreck.
The Oregon Depart-
state police reported, and
Smart suffered “substan- ment of Transportation
issued statements at the
tive injuries.”
Milton-Freewater Rural end of July to encourage
Ambulance rushed Smart motorists to be aware of
to Providence St. Mary motorcyclists. Motorcycle
0HGLFDO &HQWHU :DOOD crashes in Oregon claimed
Walla, and then an emer- 32 lives from Jan. 1
JHQF\ ÀLJKW WUDQVIHUUHG through July 23, according
him to Oregon Health to preliminary data from
& Science University, Oregon Department of
Portland. OHSU spokes- Transportation, an increase
woman Amanda Gibbs of 18.5 percent from the
said Thursday afternoon same period in 2014.
East Oregonian
By TIM TRAINOR
East Oregonian
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three miles from the
Strawberry Lake basin, but
Oregon National Guard
troops are working to keep
it away from an iconic piece
of Eastern Oregon’s wilder-
ness.
Stefanie Gatchell, a
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for the U.S. Forest Service,
said Thursday afternoon that
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southeast of Strawberry
Lake, its nearby waterfalls
and the normally heavily
used
Strawberry
Lake
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Gatchell said guard
troops, deployed by Oregon
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stationed on the south and
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goals is to protect that basin
and that campground,” said
Gatchell. “We know what
that means to people.”
She said guard troops
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monitoring the area.
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ground in wilderness areas is
heavily restricted. So while
skies are relatively clear,
crews are doing most of the
proactive work from above,
Gatchell said. She said there
“Definitely one
of the goals is to
protect that basin
and that camp-
ground. We know
what that means
to people.”
— Stefanie Gatchell,
public information officer
for the U.S. Forest Service
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attacked and put out.
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weren’t full-time residences
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High winds and warm
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can start to “create their own
weather,” said Gatchell, so
crews remain on guard.
Winds were blowing
south and southeast on
Thursday
afternoon,
a
lucky break for now for
the often-visited piece of
wilderness they are trying to
protect.
The campground, which
has no permanent buildings
except for a pit toilet, is
FORVHGEHFDXVHRIWKH¿UH
SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS
Submit information to: community@eastoregonian.com
or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini at 333 E.
Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211 S.E. Byers
Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-966-0818
with questions.
Music
on the
Lawn
FRIDAY, AUG. 28
Whisky Barrel
Rocker
SATURDAY, AUG. 29
Tyler Brooks
6:00-9:00 PM
H AMLEY S TEAK H ouse & S aloon
COURT & MAIN, PENDLETON • 541.278.1100
East Oregonian
Page 3A
BRIEFLY
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police academy
3,/2752&.²3LORW
5RFN¶VQHZSROLFHRI¿FHU
is headed to Oregon’s
basic police training in
September instead of
early next year thanks to
some help.
The city hired Daniel
Badal, 23, near the end of
July and he started Aug 1.
But Badal does not yet have
KLVEDVLFSROLFHFHUWL¿FDWLRQ
from the Oregon Depart-
ment of Public Safety
Standards and Training.
Without that, there is not
much he can do on his own.
7KHGHSDUWPHQW¿OOHG
its basic police courses
this year at the public
safety academy in Salem,
leaving Badal waiting until
January. But city recorder
Teri Porter told the city
council Tuesday night a
FDOOIURP8PDWLOOD&RXQW\
Sheriff Terry Rowan to the
public safety department
landed Badal a seat in the
September class.
The basic police
academy is 16 weeks of
intensive course work and
WUDLQLQJ2QFHRI¿FHUV
complete the course they
usually still must work
VHYHUDOZHHNVZLWKD¿HOG
WUDLQLQJRI¿FHUEHIRUHJRLQJ
solo.
Porter also told the
council there has been
some headway in the
selection of a new police
chief, who would oversee
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She said Pendleton Police
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making his way through an
application packet from one
chief candidate, and another
candidate should have his
packet to the city this week.
Gravel will be used
temporarily in the crossing
until a contractor is able
complete asphalting in late
September or early October,
said Stevens.
Veterans advisory
committee meeting
planned
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the Oregon Department
of Veterans Affairs will
host its quarterly meeting
from 9:30 a.m. to noon
Wednesday, Sept. 2 at the
+HUPLVWRQ&RQIHUHQFH
&HQWHU6+LJKZD\
395.
The public is invited to
attend and participate. The
nine-member committee
is comprised of veterans
appointed by the governor
to provide counsel to the
director of the ODVA.
Registration
is encouraged at
surveymonkey.com/r/
&:1.6%4XHVWLRQV
for the committee can
be emailed to vaac@
odva.state.or.us. For
more information about
the committee and its
members, visit oregon.gov/
odva/pages/advisory.aspx.
EOU wins grant
for low-income
students
/$*5$1'(²
Eastern Oregon University
will provide more support
to low-income and
¿UVWJHQHUDWLRQFROOHJH
students over the next
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million grant from the U.S.
Department of Education.
The grant is for
administration of a Student
Services program that is
Expect delays
to serve about 160
Sept. 2 at Bingham expected
students a year by helping
railroad crossing
guide them through the
*,%%21²7KH8QLRQ college process and get
3DFL¿F5DLOURDGLVSODQQLQJ through their program in
four years.
to work on the Bingham
Xavier Romano, vice
Road crossing on Sept. 2,
president
for Student
between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Services
at
EOU, said an
Delays of up to one hour
award
of
that
size will be
can be expected, but Union
“truly
transformative”
for
3DFL¿FKDVPDGHSURYLVLRQV
the university.
for emergency response
“This funding will
vehicles if such services
allow
us to better serve and
need to pass through.
support our increasingly
Flagmen will be by
diverse community,”
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The grant cycle begins
concrete crossing pads
Sept.
1, 2015, and expires
and raise the tracks to
Aug.
31,
2020. EOU will
be more level with the
then have the opportunity to
road, according to Lee
request additional funding
6WHYHQV8QLRQ3DFL¿F
based on student outcomes
track supervisor. The
associated with the project.
work should provide a
More than 450 students
less bumpy ride over the
from
Umatilla and Morrow
crossing at Bingham, where
counties
attend Eastern
the tracks now dip slightly
Oregon
University.
below the roadway.